Puerto Rico Cracks Down on Rising Drug Trade

3/1/2013 7:00PM

As the U.S. focuses on Mexican drug cartels, Puerto Rico is grappling with a growing drug trafficking problem. Video from a massive airport drug bust was captured last June when authorities arrested dozens of people who they say took part in a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine onto commercial flights bound for the U.S.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

I ... well yes for health for the federal government to preserve resources here what we're saying is ... helpless to help you ... Puerto Rico grappling with growing drug trafficking problem as authorities in the U S and Mexico clamp down on the cartels and on the U S border with Mexico ... traffickers are increasingly turning to alternative routes including the gravy ... as part of a major drug bust at the San Juan airport and other locations last June ... authorities arrested three dozen people they say took part ... in a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine ... on commercial flights bound for the United States ... around a third of them pleaded guilty ... the rest are awaiting trial ... authorities say that those who participated ... actually works at the airport ... and took advantage of their security clearances ... to get drugs ... smuggled on to planes either into the cargo hold ... packages ... or in suitcases ... and those that were then then made their way ... onto the U S mainland ... where we could use as a trans shipment point ... in one or remake to the year eighteen eighty five percent make it to the highest degree knowing I states that the two prototype and orally with that would help reduce ... the effect of bringing eighty five percent of the critic of the year ... to the continental United States ... but it was hopeless ... flight that violence that has struggled with drugs to hear generate because partly stays here ... we're seeing any age thirty buying an element ... that wasn't on that didn't exist years ago ... dollar have no respect for sportsman have no respect for life ... and and regarding the actual traded self aware seniors ... shipments coming into maritime routes ... on these organizations from South America ... are attempting ... to bring in home narcotics into territory orders or territory United States with the Puerto Rico ... all of course that the purpose of this would be ... almost a quarter we go on for the disposal and that in ... the United States ... authorities say this is really not that a Puerto Rican problem ... it's a national security from that ... if the drugs cannot be blocked here ... the problem gets ... essentially export of the mainland United States ... al federal and local on force are mounting a more vigorous response the Department of Homeland Security is sending additional personnel and Coast Guard patrol boats to Frederico ... as well as increasing Ariel and maritime patrols ... the island's governor also activated more than two hundred National Guard troops in January to help combat Trafford ... Mexico remains by far the most active traffic ... according to Justice Department estimates ninety five percent of the cocaine bound for the U S mainland ... passed through Mexico in two thousand eleven ... while only five percent chance that the creepy ... the drug enforcement officials say the Caribbean share is likely to be revised significantly upward ... based on the increased activity in two thousand twelve ... our efforts in the salt was order ... had been wary mill documented as those efforts continue to rise a and B will look at ... alternate routes ... is just a matter of expanding business ... reporting for The Wall Street Journal this is our Eon Campo was ... down one point lead ...